This week, Dave Matthews appeared as a special guest on the most recent episode of Time Crisis via Apple Music 1. Entitled “Dave is Here,” and co-hosted by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig and Jake Longstreth, the internet radio show profiles hot topics in music news and pop culture.
For this episode, Koenig came prepared with an eclectic mix of questions for Matthews, touching on everything from the impending release of DMB’s 10th studio album to the secrets behind creating a perfect live setlist and lighter topics like the best South African snack foods.
Koenig kicked off the conversation by offering his personal take on Matthew’s upcoming project, Walk Around The Moon, commenting “I love the first single. I really found the single so surprising and fresh and interesting. The beginning almost made me think of Tool…”
Matthews took the comparison in stride, revealing that he is a personal fan of the rock group. He stated, “Oh, I like that. I like Tool a lot.” The musician shared that the “thunderous”, Tool-like elements of his January release, “Madman’s Eyes,” were meaningful to him.
“I'd play it five times a show if I could at the moment, I'm still not sick of it,” Matthews explained. “I like that, sort of sounds like a bit of a monster. Which it is, I hope.” He also shouted out other inspirations from the 90’s alternative scene, including The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Later in the episode, Koenig and Matthews touched on Matthew’s approach to live performance. Matthews disclosed that, when building a setlist, he prioritizes the pace and the movement of a show. While he will usually add one fan-favorite to the roster, he strives to make every set unique. “I play one place, if we play three nights somewhere, then I'm not going to repeat anything.”
On top of discussing his own music, Matthews dished out some personal stories about other big names in the music world. Notably, he gave Koenig the inside scoop about the time that his friend had to repossess a boat for folk-rock legend Neil Young. Listen to the full conversation now on Apple 1 Music.
